Royal Mail Sexual Harassment Initiative 

The purpose of this LTB is to update Branches on the above initiative. We are aware that Royal Mail has recently launched its sexual harassment awareness training for All business grades, via an initiative called Change for good.  The CWU welcome this initiative and advocate members participation.  

Sexual discrimination, including sexual harassment is a widespread problem. High profile claims of sexual harassment reported in the media, together with movements such as #Metoo and emerging research, demonstrate how widespread and frequent sexual assault and harassment is, especially in the workplace.

According to the TUC 1 in every 2 women have experienced some form of sexual harassment at work and more than 70,000 (4%) men are sexually abused or assaulted each year.

The CWU is committed to promoting equality in all areas of life and recognise that sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal. As a union, we aim to actively prevent and tackle sexual harassment by creating working environments that support and empower members to report incidences of unwanted sexual behaviour.

The CWU have developed Sexual Harassment toolkits as part of the CWU’s wider strategy on preventing and addressing sexual harassment in our workplaces, in our movement and in wider society. The CWU’s ‘Speak Up, Speak Out: Break the Silence’ Toolkits have been created to help members and branches identify what sexual harassment is, its impacts and effects and what legal protections are in place to protect workers against workplace sexual harassment so that members can make informed choices about recording and reporting incidences of sexual harassment and understand what support is available.

Toolkits can be found attached or by clicking on the following link: https://education.cwu.org/equality/sexual-harassment-toolkits/

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,                                                      

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development             

Bobby Weatherall
Acting Assistant Secretary

24LTB 207 – Royal Mail Sexual Harassment Initiative (002)

Att 1- 07048-CWU-Sexual-Harassment-Toolkit-for-members-A5-v1-002

Att 2 – 07049-CWU-Sexual-Harassment-Toolkit-for-reps-and-branches-A5-v2

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OPENREACH LTD – Fibre Network Delivery ‘My Potential’

Openreach Fibre Network Delivery (FND) have made a concerning decision to press ahead with the rollout of an unagreed mutation of ‘My Potential’.  It is being vigorously challenged by the CWU Openreach National Team who have strong reservations that management’s unilateral addition of four new metrics risks turning it into a punitive performance management tool.

Your CWU Openreach National Team agreed previously to a small-scale trial of ‘My Potential’, the details can be seen within LTB No. 254/2023.  This included twelve patches, within the cabler and jointer community – six were team-based and six were individual.  The rationale was to foster a supportive culture guided by a single ‘Daily Customer Connections’ metric, similar to what was agreed within Service Delivery – Customer Delivery Rate.  This metric aimed to help identify coaching needs and any other assistance required to support individuals in the best way possible.

However, the unagreed version of ‘My Potential’ that is being rolled out by FND is now significantly altered and is unrecognisable.  With management’s inclusion of four additional metrics, it has morphed into a potentially exploitative tool.  These metrics may be weaponised against the very people they were meant to empower.  These changes include:

• ‘On The Tools Time’ – the percentage of the total time booked by an engineer that is deemed to be productive
• ‘Time to Complete’ – measuring the “number of productive hours booked by the engineer per completion” in a given time period
• ‘Customer Conversion Percentage’ – namely the ‘percentage of tasks allocated to an engineer to have been completed’ and… 
• ‘Time Booking’ – measuring “the percentage of full match time in total time booked by the engineer.” 

Despite management’s current insistence that team members have “nothing to worry about” there is a fundamental problem with these additional metrics.  They are largely subjective and therefore in danger of becoming punitive.

Without safeguards being negotiated, there is a real danger that management will exploit these metrics to reintroduce the oppressive performance management practices that you and members fought tirelessly to eliminate from Openreach.

It is crucial that we oppose metrics that could lead to a regressive style of management.   These additional metrics, could be perceived as performance management.

Campaign and Tasks for Branches

As discussed at the recent Openreach Briefing Committee, a campaign will be launched.  This campaign can only be won by our members and Branches and it is vital they are the force behind achieving this.  Once the members comms has been sent, we will send them to Branches and Regional Co-ordinators.  In the comms, we are asking members to:

‘Start discussing this issue with your colleagues – especially those who are not currently members of the CWU and encourage them to join.  Your voice and involvement are essential.  Stay informed, keep an eye on emails and speak to your local union reps about how you can participate.’ 

Regional Co-ordinators (RCs) and Branches should attend the engineer briefings, which are currently taking place and happening over the coming weeks.  I have attached the Patch Manager/Patch Lead briefings and also the Engineer briefing packs.  If SEAMs have not already reached out with dates and times, the Regional Co-ordinators have agreed to approach the SEAMs to ensure CWU presence.  Branches should inform RCs when they are attending and how the briefing was received.  Gathering as much feedback on this issue is crucial.

Branches should continually engage with members and non-members to educate them on how this can be turned into a punitive performance management tool.  Education and information are key at this stage in a campaign. This is an excellent opportunity to speak to non-members, to get them to understand why it is so important to be part of the CWU.  The more of them who make a stand the stronger this campaign will become.

Additionally, any feedback coming from members, whether that is a phone call, email or a conversation face-to-face needs to be documented and sent to your RC.  Your RC will be in touch on how best to keep them informed.

As the campaign progresses, we will keep you informed on the next steps.  The next steps will be dependent on the strength of feeling/reaction from our members and the reaction of Openreach.  If members or Branches have ideas that will help our campaign can this be fed through to your Regional Co-ordinator.

Any enquires regarding this LTB should be sent directly to me in the first instance.

Yours sincerely,

Fiona Curtis
Acting Assistant Secretary

13.06.24 – LTB 206 – OPENREACH LTD – Fibre Network Delivery ‘My Potential’

MyPotential Engineer Workshop Deck – Attachment 1

MyPotential PM-PL Workshop Deck – Attachment 2

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Fleet Ballot Result 

We are pleased to announce the result of the Fleet Pay ballot for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 pay rises. The full breakdown is attached at Annex 1.

• Total ballot papers received: 600 (66%)
• Yes votes: 470 (79%)
• No votes: 127 (21%)
• Spoilt ballot papers: 3

Therefore, CWU Fleet members have overwhelmingly endorsed the Fleet pay agreement.

We recognise that this agreement has been a long time coming and that for many Fleet members the time it has taken has been frustrating.

The endorsement of the pay agreement will now trigger a period of work which includes:

Understanding who is moving to 37 hours and who wants to remain at 34.5 hours subject to meeting the agreed criteria.

Once the above work has occurred the back pay from April 2023 to April 2024 can be calculated and a payment date agreed.

The date when the £500 payment will be paid.

The date when the pay rise commences.

The timescales for the workshop revision agreements which is linked to a further 2% backdated to April 2024.

The swap system process linked to the 1-4 rostered Saturdays.

During the ballot process we received questions over how the overtime rates would be applied and we can confirm that 2% will be applied to the pay rate for 2024/2025.

We will update colleagues on the above in the coming days.

In the meantime, we would like to place on record our thanks to you all for your continued support.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh – Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Bobby Weatherall – Acting Assistant Secretary

Fleet Ballot Result

LTB 204.24 Annex 1 Ballot Result

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NEW DEAL FOR WORKERS CAMPAIGN WEEKEND 22/23 JUNE

Dear Colleagues,

We know that many of our branches and representatives will be out campaigning for a Labour government and heavily engaging in the work of your local CLPs.

The purpose of this LTB is to announce that the New Deal for Workers Campaigning weekend has been set for June 22nd and 23rd. This weekend will see many activists and trade unions out campaigning for Labour and specifically campaigning on the workers’ rights policies Labour are bringing forward.

As the founders of the New Deal for Workers campaign, it is crucial we see a big turnout of CWU representatives and members across the UK over the course of this weekend.

TULO have created a campaign page so you can volunteer locally in your area. This can be accessed here https://labourunions.org.uk/newdealweekend/

Additionally, branches will be aware that we have three CWU members standing for Parliament. It is absolutely crucial we deliver a massive show of support for these individuals from now until the election, but particularly over the weekend of June 22/23.

On this basis, we are calling for as many volunteers as possible to campaign for the re-election of Tahir Ali MP on Saturday 22nd June in the Birmingham Hall Green constituency. Please contact tahiralicampaigns@gmail.com for more information and timings.

Also on Saturday the 22nd June, we call on CWU members to help elect Lee Barron as the MP for Corby. For more information and timings please contact corbyrural@gmail.com.

And on Sunday 23rd, we will be focusing on a huge turnout in Blackpool South to help re-elect Chris Webb MP. Please contact cawebb@cwu.org for more information and timings.

Delivering the New Deal for Workers is crucial for our members. Part of that strategy has to be putting our members in Parliament.

Please support the campaign weekend on June 22/23. If you have any other questions, please contact jdunn@cwu.org

Yours Sincerely,

Dave Ward
General Secretary 

24LTB205 NEW DEAL FOR WORKERS CAMPAIGN WEEKEND 22-23 JUNE

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A major interview with general secretary in today’s Times. Please share.

Times interview with Dave Ward

Royal Mail: Football fans’ model will be union’s pitch to Kretinsky

CWU wants a collective employee trust to have part-ownership of the business

Imagine a company where the workforce has part-ownership via a collective employee trust, with the promise of input into how the business is run and a share in profits in return for a pledge to end industrial strife.

This is the vision of Dave Ward, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), for his 110,000 members who make up the vast majority of the Royal Mail’s 130,000-strong workforce.

It is an unachievable mission amid the mutual fear and distrust that exists, Ward says, under the current management led by Keith Williams, chairman of Royal Mail’s parent company International Distribution Services.

It is, he adds, why he is leading talks with Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire who would be the new owner of IDS and the centuries-old national institution of the Royal Mail.

Rather than a sellout to an owner from a faraway country of which we know little, Ward says it is a one-time opportunity to hold Kretinsky to his word to be a “for-life” owner of Royal Mail — and one that should be grasped by Labour if it wins power as expected next month.

Speaking before a meeting with Kretinsky next week, Ward, 64, a former telegram boy who has led the CWU for the past nine years, said he has been forced to change his pro-nationalisation stance on the Royal Mail by the “political and economic realities”.

Instead he is lobbying Kretinsky, 48, who last month had a £3.6 billion takeover of IDS recommended by its board, and the Labour leadership to look at a “new business and governance model” for Royal Mail.

“The current IDS board has no strategy to make the Royal Mail successful,” Ward says from his office at CWU headquarters in Wimbledon, southwest London. “The members are demoralised because of the way they are being treated, attacked and alienated by management in a way we have never seen before.”

The only option, he says, is to lobby Kretinsky for “radical change”. Ward has already met Kretinsky’s representatives. “We laid out our concerns that the offer of contractual obligations are not broad enough, do not go on for long enough and aren’t strong enough.”

Those promises, variously consisting of five, three or two-year pledges, are: not to unilaterally end the universal nationwide service; not to load the company with debt; to retain the Royal Mail name and UK headquarters; not to raid the £1.4 billion pension surplus; to continue to recognise the trade unions; to abide by pay and conditions agreements; and not to asset-strip the company by selling off Royal Mail’s profitable European business GLS.

“We made it clear we are looking for the safeguards that the workforce want,” Ward says. “We said we believe the current business model is broken but that there is a chance to align the interests of workers, customers and the company for the benefit of the UK economy.

“There needs to be investment in the workforce and infrastructure to enable the company to adapt to changing market conditions. The company has to grow revenues and get into the next-day parcels delivery market in a much more serious way. And that unless the workforce are on board, Royal Mail won’t succeed.”

Their response was interesting, he says. “They said getting the union and the workforce on board is absolutely critical and they want to work with us.”

Ward will go into that summit with Kretinsky calling for the creation of a “collective trust” with a yet to be determined percentage ownership stake in Royal Mail. It is a model that is seen at some German football clubs and in Britain at Exeter City, where major strategic decisions can be vetoed by a supporters’ trust.

“Our fear has been the issue that has caused all the disputes in recent years: that IDS management want to take the parcels away from the letters, and outsource parcel delivery to a different company with a different workforce,” Ward says.

“Daniel Kretinsky has said he wants to own Royal Mail for life. We’re saying we’ll match that under a different ownership model and new business model.”

The CWU does not want token boardroom employee directors but representation in decision-making boards from the top to the bottom of the company, across regions and covering remuneration and pensions. It is, Ward says, about creating trust with local workforces.

“The percentage ownership stake needs to be significant and meaningful,” he says. “But ownership in itself isn’t enough. The governance structure has to change and we’d be looking for a mandatory profit share subject to achieving certain goals.”

Ward acknowledges that all this is ambitious and requires a leap of faith from all parties. “We know we’ve got a lot of work to do on this and we’re not saying we’ve got all the answers.”

He says the the biggest red line of all is that IDS management has recommended Kretinsky’s promised obligations without consulting the workforce.

The default munition of any powerful trade union is industrial action. But the CWU has another weapon, the post-Brexit legislation of the National Security and Investment Act, which gives ministers power for the first time in a generation to block overseas takeovers.

“Kretinsky must know there is a lot of opposition to the sale of Royal Mail, a legitimate concern across the UK over whether it is right that an equity investor from overseas who we know nothing about is going to own Royal Mail,” Ward says.

The CWU has had “productive conversations” with the Labour leadership. “Labour should explore with Kretinsky and with us a different model,” Ward says, to get away from the status quo of management/workforce relations — which he characterises by bringing the knuckles of two clenched fists together.

“The structure we are talking about is alignment that would revolutionise the relationship between the company and the trade union.

“No one can guarantee that Kretinsky or Labour will do this. But there is a lot in this for Labour if they are willing to work to get to a model that could be good for the UK economy, workers and customers.”

Your Voice in the Workplace – June 2024

Please find attached the June Workplace Bulletin.

We will be sending you out a limited print run (approx. 10 per cent of branch membership) of this Edition, which should reach you by the end of this week for distribution to your reps to take into workplaces.

You also have the link to print immediate copies and/or to print off more copies.

It is crucial that branches are distributing the monthly bulletin in every workplace. The purpose is to ensure members are receiving written content from the union directly into their workplaces, so your role in that process is integral.

Thank you for your support and please contact us with your feedback on the Bulletin.

Click to access 08118-Your-Voice-RMG-issue-5-June-2up.pdf

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Chris Webb
Head of Communications

24LTB202 YOUR VOICE IN THE WORKPLACE – JUNE

08118-Your-Voice-RMG-issue-5-June-2up

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ROYAL MAIL GROUP: CONFERENCE MOTION 11 – CONFIRMED DATES FOR PENSIONS TRAINING

Further to LTB 188/24 dated 5^th June.  The planned one-day (approximately 10.30am – 4pm) training seminars across the UK, based upon the Postal constituency Divisional structures, have now been confirmed as follows:DateDivisionTuesday 2^nd JulyMidlandsThursday 11^th JulyNorth Wales / North WestTuesday 16^th JulyScotlandThursday 18^th JulySouth EastTuesday 6^th AugustSouth CentralTuesday 13^th AugustLondonThursday 15^th AugustAngliaThursday 22^nd AugustSouth Wales / South WestWednesday 28^th AugustNorthern IrelandFriday 30^th AugustNorth East

The venues for the above will be finalised at the earliest opportunity and will be communicated via a further LTB.  Paul Kennedy, Divisional Representative and RMPP Trustee, will be running the training sessions and the invitation to attend is extended to all Senior Field Officials and their respective Area Reps from across RM, Engineering, Fleet and Parcelforce as well as Branch Secretaries.  As this important training relates directly to a generic matter, the training sessions cover the membership across the Postal Constituency.  As a result, Reps can attend the most convenient location for the training.

Any queries should be addressed to snicholas@cwu.org

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (P)

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

LTB 201-24 – ROYAL MAIL GROUP CONFERENCE MOTION 11 – CONFIRMED DATES FOR PENSIONS TRAINING

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NETWORK WINDOW – EXCEPTIONS PROCESS – PROCESS FOR COLLEAGUES RAISING CONCERNS IN AREA DISTRIBUTION IMPACTED BY NETWORK WINDOW

Dear Colleagues

Please find attached the agreement for raising an exception within Local Distribution due to changes to attendance times linked to the Network Window changes. The process attached is only available for the current Network Window activity and is not considered to be an ongoing policy.  It is only valid for the deployment of Network Window, including any further attendance time changes that may impact on people following the Air Hub closures, e.g., in Exeter and Inverness 2025. 

As part of this process, we have been able to ensure our members have a fair and reasonable opportunity to request support through this period of unprecedented change where an employee’s personal circumstances change and impacts their ability to work their attendance pattern. Members can make a request for Flexible Working through the normal BAU (Business as Usual) process, this remains unchanged.

Process

Local Distribution sites will advertise their agreed duty sets and colleagues will have the opportunity to express a preference for their duty allocation.  MtSF resourcing principles will apply.  At the conclusion of the re-pick process, if colleagues are matched to a duty that they would find it difficult to work due to responsibilities in their personal lives, then they can raise a flexible working request. 

In recognition of the degree of change and by exception the following measures will enhance the normal BAU process:

• In view of the time constraints between re-pick and deployment of the new duties, anyone who raises a flexible working request will not be required to move to their new duty times until the Flexible Working request has been heard, including an appeal if applicable, provided always that the employee co-operates and engages with the flexible working process and raises the request within 5 working days of being allocated the duty 

We have also secured an appeal process which is detailed below:

Appeals 

Through this process anyone whose Flexible Working request has not been granted via their line manager, can appeal in writing within 3 working days of the outcome of their request being communicated. The appeal will be heard by an independent manager within 7 working days.

The appeal will be paper based if the change to duty is 30 minutes or less.  If the change is 31 minutes or more then the individual has the option to request that the appeal is heard via an MS Teams virtual meeting.

The department would apologise for the very late notice however these have been extremely difficult discussions.   However, given that commitment in the BRT&G it was important to secure an opportunity for our members to be treated fairly through the impact of change linked to the Network Window.  We believe that the attached document will support our members through the ongoing change.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: sbanbury@cwu.org quoting reference: 054.06.

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

LTB 200.24 – Distribution Exceptions Process

Exception Process for Local Distribution

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ROYAL MAIL: CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, FINANCE, HR & LEGAL SERVICES BONUS 2023/24

Further to LTBs 159/22 and 138/22 dated 14^th July and 16^th August 2022, detailing the revised agreed arrangements for the bonus schemes for our members working in Customer Experience, Finance and HR / Legal Services, which are based on Royal Mail’s overall business performance.  As a reminder, the CE and Finance bonus potentials were increased from £1,000 to £2,000 and HR / Legal Services from £750 to £1,500.  A weighted scorecard is used to determine a final percentage outcome and I am pleased to report that this year’s bonus will be paid using the multiplier for Central Functions which is 78.7%.  The total amounts payable are therefore as follows:Potential78.70%HR /Legal Services£1,500£1,181CE£2,000£1,574Finance£2,000£1,574

Additionally, LA1s within Logistics are also entitled to an annual bonus and a 79% calculation (based on the Operations multiplier) has been used, which provides for a bonus payment of £514 from a potential £650.

The above payments (pro-rata for part-timers) will be made with June salaries to those who have been in post since 1^st January 2024 and who are still employed at the payment date.

Given last year’s bonus payments were zero due to Royal Mail’s overall business performance and the impact on the scorecard, I am sure our members working in these Admin functions will be pleased with this news.  As a consequence of this positive development, Branches are urged to use this information to engage in membership recruitment across the applicable Admin functions.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

LTB 199-24 – ROYAL MAIL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, FINANCE, HR & LEGAL SERVICES BONUS 2023-24

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Prostate Cancer – Raising Awareness and Campaigning for a National Screening Programme

As we approach Men’s Health Week 2024 with the UK theme “Lets Talk Prostate” this is an update report on the research, campaigning and raising awareness work undertaken by the Health, Safety and Environment Department and in particular the call for a national screening programme.

As CWU Branches, Regions and health and safety reps will well know Prostate Cancer is an important subject matter that the Health, Safety & Environment Department has done a huge amount of work and campaigning on over the years to raise awareness amongst our Regions, Branches and members.

Prostate Cancer is a subject which is also personally dear to our heart as two former CWU National Official colleagues and long-standing friends died of Prostate Cancer; Dave Ward former CWU Education and Training Officer lost his battle against prostate cancer and passed away on 1 February 2020. Former CWU National Romec/RMP&FS Rep and Chair of our London Postal Engineering Branch, Cyril Onyejekwe, passed away on Sunday 10 March 2019 after a long battle with Prostate Cancer and myelofibrosis.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, and rates are on the rise. By 2030 its forecast that there’ll be 1.7 million men living with prostate cancer in the UK. It’s already killing hundreds of thousands of men each year, and those who survive face serious side effects.

The Health, Safety & Environment department has worked hard on awareness raising, producing LTBs, Fact Sheets, Posters and a Black Workers Fact Sheet/Leaflet/Flyer has been produced, as requested by the Black Workers Conference which was very well received indeed – Black Workers being higher risk etc. (See copies attached).

The first Prostate Cancer Campaign we in the Health, Safety & Environment Department ran was our “Water Works” Campaign with Posters and Leaflets in 2003.

We ran our first ‘Movember’ Help Save Men’s’ Lives Campaign in 2016 Highlighting Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer and Suicide Prevention with posters, leaflets and pocket cards.

In 2017 we published LTB 165/17 – launching a CWU ‘Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign’ in conjunction with ‘Prostate Cancer UK’. (Copy attached). This included;

• Five pages of general information plus,
• Diet and physical activity for men with prostate cancer,
• Know your prostate – A guide to common prostate problems,
• Prostate cancer – A guide for men who’ve just been diagnosed,
• What is my risk of prostate cancer? Guide.

In 2017 we repeated the ‘Movember’ Prostate Cancer campaign with an extensive, detailed report and Guidance in LTB 597/17. The Guidance on Prostate cancer links in the LTB are;

• https://uk.movember.com/mens-health/prostate-cancer
• https://uk.movember.com/about/prostate-cancer

Also in 2017 we ran our “Seven Health Checks Men Must Do” Campaign which focused on Prostate Cancer.

 In 2019 we ran the CWU ‘Prostate Cancer and Your Risk’ campaign with a New CWU Leaflet & Information for Black Men following CWU Conference Motion 47(2018), launched at the CWU Black Workers Conference which was exceptionally well received. Figures state that black, Caribbean and mixed-race men are more likely to die from prostate cancer than any other group of men. (See Leaflet pdf copy attached).

Branches and Regions will be aware that ‘Calling on the UK Government to introduce ‘Prostate Cancer Screening’.  As well as raising awareness amongst members of Prostate Cancer, its signs, symptoms and to encourage members to get checked and PSA tested where appropriate is already CWU Conference Policy through the carriage of Composite Motion 36(2022) and Composite Motion 68(2016), Motion 47(2018) and this year Motion 12(2014) was carried.

The Health, Safety and Environment Department has pursued and investigated the issue of Prostate Cancer Screening with national subject matter experts and in fact we had correspondence and discussions with Laura Kerby CEO, Jonathon Waxman OBE President and Jonathan Kay Health Information Team Lead of ‘Prostate Cancer UK’, the main Charity in this area, to seek their expert advice and check on the up to date medical and research situation regarding Prostate Cancer Screening and in particular the suitability of using the PSA test for this purpose. A copy of the detailed written advice and response from ‘Prostate Cancer UK’ dated April 2022 is attached. This has been previously shared with Branches and Regions involved in past Conference Motions to update them.

See also attached the Gov.UK – ‘UK National Screening Committee’ advice and recommendation which is supported by all the main Cancer charities and Royal Colleges

In short ‘Prostate Cancer UK’ along with the ‘UK National Screening Committee’ and other medical experts and stakeholder organisations do not currently recommend screening for prostate cancer. This we are informed, is because the PSA test is not accurate enough to detect prostate cancer that needs treatment and the potential harm from PSA-based screening programmes. PSA testing in the UK is only recommended in people suspected of having prostate cancer and symptoms. In terms of a national screening programme for prostate cancer, they confirmed that the PSA test is not a suitable screening tool, due to its low specificity and sensitivity. A man’s PSA can be high when he does not have cancer (false positive), conversely he can have a low PSA when he has clinically significant cancer (false negative). The PSA test can’t differentiate between low-risk cancer that may

never cause any harm, and aggressive disease that requires immediate treatment. Although, clinical trials have shown that using the PSA test to identify prostate cancer within a population can save lives, screening using the PSA tests also increases over diagnosis, overtreatment and invasive biopsies.

(Note: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) in part of Public Health England and advises ministers and the NHS in the 4 UK countries about all aspects of population screening and supports implementation of screening programmes).

At 2022 CWU Conference, the above information was presented to CWU Conference and after the debate on Composite Motion 36, which the NEC supported with the qualified support, representatives of the two Regions and four Branches (Midland Regional Committee, Eastern Regional Committee, South Midlands Postal, Scotland No.2 and South Central Postal) were invited to meet outside Conference to be briefed on the Prostate Cancer UK advice with copies distributed to those delegates who attended.

There is no screening programme for prostate cancer currently because unfortunately we don’t have a reliable enough test to use, and the PSA test available at the moment, referred to in the motion 36(2022) has significant risks, so the experts tell us. We’re informed by the experts that the PSA test can help doctors to work out how likely a man is to have prostate cancer but this test is not reliable enough to use as part of a national screening programme. Ongoing research is seeking to find a reliable test suitable for screening.

UK National Screening Committee: 

The UK National Screening Committee has decided that the disadvantages of regularly screening men using the PSA test outweighs the possible advantages as it could lead to over-diagnosis and over treatment of ‘harmless’ Conditions. The Charities (Prostate Cancer UK and Cancer Research UK) supports this position on screening but the charities also both support and monitor developing research into screening for prostate cancer.

The UK National Screening Committee was established in 1996 and since April 2013 it has been part of Public Health England. It consists of a number of eminent medical experts and advises Government Ministers and the NHS across the four UK countries on all aspects of screening policy and it supports implementation by co-ordinating the screening of people for medical conditions within the United Kingdom. It assesses the evidence for programmes against internationally recognised criteria, using research evidence, economic evaluation and pilot programmes.

The “Stockholm-3” model for Prostate Cancer detection: 

In a widely publicised development (see attached Daily Mirror News Clip), the “Stockholm-3” model for Prostate Cancer detection has been claimed to offer a solution with potential to improve the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis for men across Europe and around the world. Professor Henrik Grönberg a Swedish doctor, cancer researcher and professor of cancer epidemiology developed the new diagnostic blood test process because he said the major problem with PSA screening is too many unnecessary biopsies and inaccurate diagnosis. Stockholm 3 is available in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark, with plans to launch across the rest of Europe and the world. The technology is not currently used in the NHS.

The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have considered the “Stockholm-3” model for prostate cancer screening and subsequently published a Medtech innovation briefing [MIB303] on 9 August 2022 (copy attached). Four experts were drafted in to look at “Stockholm-3” and contributed to the development of the briefing along with Prostate Cancer UK. They were; Dr John Bolodeoku, consultant chemical pathologist, Mr Aniruddha Chakravarti, consultant urological surgeon, Mr Freddie Banks, consultant urologist and Prof Sanjeev Madaan, consultant urological surgeon, along with Prostate Cancer UK. The experts concluded that there were advantages and potential disadvantages with the “Stockholm-3” model and All experts recommended additional research. 

One expert felt that there was a need for long term (over 15 years) longitudinal follow-up data in people who had testing with the ‘Stockholm 3’ technology and who did not have an MRI or biopsy. Another expert noted the need for research to see how the technology works in Black, Asian and minority ethnic populations. The expert also acknowledged there is an ongoing study in the US which might address this issue. One other expert recommended that additional research in the UK setting was needed and stated that the issue which would prevent adoption of the technology would be the additional cost of it and the unclear benefits in the NHS setting.

Prostate Cancer UK saw some benefits of Stockholm 3 in respect of resulting in quick or accurate care provision also preventing harm from unnecessary biopsies but noted the potential disadvantages of the technology which may include possible side effects and practical difficulties, for users or carers. Regular use of this technology within the NHS could create delays within pathology which could delay a person’s diagnosis. The cost of the Stockholm 3 test is also significant and would be an issue for mass use within the NHS.

‘The REIMAGINE study’ and ‘The LIMIT study’

I attach for your interest and information two recent reports on two interesting and promising ‘Prostate Cancer screening studies’, the ‘The REIMAGINE study’ and ‘The LIMIT study’. Both involve top expert Consultants, Doctors, medical imaging experts. These reports explain well the current situation and problems with existing screening and diagnosis and of course the need to develop more reliable and consistent diagnosis methods on which to base a ‘National Screening Programme.’

Luminal Index MRI Identification of Prostate Cancer (LIMIT Study) Supported by Cancer Research UK the team involved have developed a new MRI technique that can allow prostate cancer to be detected using a 5-minute scan as opposed to the current 35–40-minute MRI scan. As this novel scan is simple, cheap and has good performance, it can be delivered within the community setting even using an MRI scanner located in a travelling van. We believe that providing scans in the community setting could allow men, who would otherwise not be scanned, the opportunity to have their cancer detected earlier. This research is being done on the basis that MRI is the best available test for the detection of prostate cancer, but at present this can only be provided in a hospital setting. Whilst MRI is being used, there are still many men (about 16%) that are being diagnosed with late-stage disease and almost 12,000 men dying per year from prostate cancer in the UK. Clearly, these men are not being scanned early enough in the time-course of their disease for treatment to make a difference. If we can detect their cancer earlier, we think we might be able to reduce deaths from prostate cancer. If LIMIT is successful, a national-level trial would also be required before prostate cancer screening becomes standard clinical practice.

Professor Mark Emberton (UCL Surgical & Interventional Science and consultant urologist at UCLH), senior author of the study, said: “The UK prostate cancer mortality rate is twice as high as in countries like the US or Spain because our levels of testing are much lower than other countries. Given how treatable prostate cancer is when caught early, I’m confident that a national screening programme will reduce the UK’s prostate cancer mortality rate significantly. There is a lot of work to be done to get us to that point, but I believe this will be possible within the next five to ten years.”

Conclusion:

In respect of the CWU’s support for a fit for purpose, universally recognised, accurate and effective screening programme, we are ‘pushing at an open door’ right now. What we need is a medical and scientific breakthrough by those working hard to find one. Hopefully, it will come sooner rather than later. In the meantime the advice available from the NHS and the Charities, ‘Cancer Research UK’, ‘Prostate Cancer UK’, ‘Tackle Prostate Cancer’, ‘Orchid’ etc. we are all looking forward to the day of a breakthrough and an effective, accurate test, fit for purpose and a UK wide national screening programme.

The HS&E Department fully supports the need for a national screening programme and will continue working on this, supporting the call for continued and increased investment and support to find and deploy an effective reliable screening test which the scientists are still searching for and which the charities are supporting.

In the meantime the CWU will continue working with the Prostate Cancer Charities, NHS and the employers to raise awareness of Prostate Cancer amongst our Branches and members, encouraging  members to be aware of the signs and symptoms of Prostate Cancer and not to delay going to their GP to get checked out and PSA tested as necessary and if recommended by specialist urologist consultants and doctors in order to diagnose conditions requiring treatment in order to catch it early and in doing so successfully treat the condition at an early stage when the cure success rate is at its highest.

Attachments:

• Jonathan Kay Prostate Cancer UK Advice
• UK – UK National Screening Committee Recommendation
• LTB 165/17Diet and Physical Actibity for Men with Prostate Cancer
• Know Your Prostate – A Guide To Common Prostate Problems
• Prostate Cancer – A Guide For Men Who’ve Just Been Diagnosed
• What is my Risk of Prostate Cancer
• CWU Prostate Cancer Awareness Black Workers Leaflet
• Prostate Cancer Screening – Daily Mirror 18 May 23
• NICE Briefing on ‘Stockholm 3’ Prostate Cancer Screening Aug 23

Regards and Best Wishes.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer 

LTB 198-24 – Prostate Cancer – Raising Awareness and Campaigning for a National Screening Programme

17LTB165 Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign 2017

cwu-prostate-cancer-awareness-black-workers-leaflet

Diet and Physical Activity for Men with Prostate Cancer

Gov.UK – UK National Screening Committee – Prostate Cancer

Jonathan Kay Prostate Cancer UK on Protate Screening Apr.2022

Know Your Prostate

NICE – Briefing on Stockholm3 for prostate cancer screening Aug 2022

Prostate Cancer – LIMIT Study

Prostate Cancer – REIMAGINE study

Prostate Cancer A Guide for Men Who’ve Just Been Diagnosed

Prostate Cancer Screening Daily Mirror 18 May 23

What Is My Risk Of Prostate Cancer

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